AMERICAN SKIN (41 SHOTS)

Live 18 Nov 2015 version



Bruce Springsteen:41 shots, and we'll take that ride
'Cross the bloody river to the other side
41 shots, cut through the night
You're kneeling over his body in the vestibule
Praying for his life

Bruce Springsteen:Is it a gun, is it a knife
Is it a wallet, this is your life
It ain't no secret
Backing singers:It ain't no secret
Bruce Springsteen:It ain't no secret
Backing singers:It ain't no secret
Bruce Springsteen:No secret my friend
You can get killed just for living in your American skin

Backing singers:41 shots
41 shots
41 shots
41 shots

John Legend:41 shots, Lena gets her son ready for school
She says, "On these streets, Charles
You've got to understand the rules
If an officer stops you, promise me you'll always be polite
And that you'll never ever run away
Promise Mama you'll keep your hands in sight"

John Legend:Oh, is it a gun
Backing singers:Is it a gun
John Legend:Is it a knife
Backing singers:Is it a knife
John Legend:Is it a wallet
Backing singers:Is it a wallet
John Legend:This is your life
Backing singers:This is your life
John Legend:It ain't no secret
Backing singers:It ain't no secret
John Legend:It ain't no secret
Backing singers:It ain't no secret
John Legend:No secret my friend
You can get killed just for living in your American skin

Backing singers:41 shots
41 shots
41 shots
41 shots

Tom Morello:[Guitar solo]

Bruce Springsteen:Is it a gun
Backing singers:Is it a gun
Bruce Springsteen:Is it a knife
Backing singers:Is it a knife
Bruce Springsteen:Is it in your heart
Backing singers:Is it in your heart
Bruce Springsteen:Is it in your eyes
Backing singers:Is it in your eyes
Bruce Springsteen:It ain't no secret
Backing singers:It ain't no secret
Bruce Springsteen:It ain't no secret
Backing singers:It ain't no secret
Bruce Springsteen:It ain't no secret

Bruce Springsteen:41 shots, and we'll take that ride
'Cross this bloody river to the other side
John Legend:Ohh, 41 shots, got my boots caked with this mud
Ohh, we're baptized in the water
Backing singers:Baptized in these waters
John Legend:Ohh, and in each other's blood
Backing singers:And in each other's blood

Springsteen and Legend:Is it a gun
Backing singers:Is it a gun
Springsteen and Legend:Is it a knife
Backing singers:Is it a knife
Springsteen and Legend:Is it a wallet
Backing singers:Is it a wallet
Springsteen and Legend:This is your life
Backing singers:This is your life
Bruce Springsteen:It ain't no secret
John Legend:It ain't no secret
Bruce Springsteen:It ain't no secret
John Legend:It ain't no secret
Bruce Springsteen:No secret my friend
You can get killed just for living in
John Legend:You can get killed just for living in
Bruce Springsteen:You can get killed just for living in
John Legend:You can get killed just for living in
Bruce Springsteen:Your American skin

Springsteen, Legend, and backing singers:41 shots
41 shots
41 shots
41 shots

Backing singers and all performers:41 shots
Bruce Springsteen:You can get killed just for living in
Backing singers and all performers:41 shots
John Legend:Oh you can get killed just for living in
Backing singers and all performers:41 shots
Bruce Springsteen:You can get killed just for living in
Backing singers and all performers:41 shots
John Legend:Oh you can get killed just for living in
Backing singers and all performers:41 shots
Bruce Springsteen:You can get killed just for living in
Backing singers and all performers:41 shots
John Legend:You can get killed just for living in
Backing singers and all performers:41 shots
Bruce Springsteen:You can get killed just for living in
Backing singers and all performers:41 shots
John Legend:You can get killed just for living in
Backing singers and all performers:41 shots
Bruce Springsteen:You can get killed just for living in
Backing singers and all performers:41 shots
John Legend:Oh you can get killed just for living in
Backing singers and all performers:41 shots
Bruce Springsteen:You can get killed just for living in
Backing singers and all performers:41 shots
John Legend:You can get killed just for living in

Bruce Springsteen (spoken outro):John Legend!

Info

The above lyrics are for the live 18 Nov 2015 performance of AMERICAN SKIN (41 SHOTS) at Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, CA, during Shining a Light: A Concert for Progress on Race in America. The song was the show opener. It was played in its full-band album arrangement and featured John Legend on shared lead vocals, Tom Morello on guitar, Max Weinberg on drums, Roy Bittan on piano, as well as the house band headed by Ricky Minor. At the end of the song, all of the evening's performers joined in onstage for the final choruses. The concert aired on 20 Nov 2015 on A+E Networks and iHeartRadio.

Bruce Springsteen performing AMERICAN SKIN (41 SHOTS) on 18 Nov 2015 at Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA (taken from the A&E TV broadcast)
Bruce Springsteen performing AMERICAN SKIN (41 SHOTS) on 18 Nov 2015 at Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA (taken from the A&E TV broadcast)

Available Versions

List of available versions of AMERICAN SKIN (41 SHOTS) on this website:

AMERICAN SKIN (41 SHOTS) [Album version]
AMERICAN SKIN (41 SHOTS) [2001 studio version]
AMERICAN SKIN (41 SHOTS) [Live 17 Jun 2000 version]
AMERICAN SKIN (41 SHOTS) [Live 01 Jul 2000 version]
AMERICAN SKIN (41 SHOTS) [Live 30 Jul 2002 version]
AMERICAN SKIN (41 SHOTS) [Live 25 Sep 2009 version]
AMERICAN SKIN (41 SHOTS) [Live 23 Mar 2012 version]
AMERICAN SKIN (41 SHOTS) [Live 15 Apr 2014 version]
AMERICAN SKIN (41 SHOTS) [Live 18 Nov 2015 version]

Page last updated: 28 Nov 2015